Tube-making machine



Dec. 28 1926. Y 1,612,545 y' H. D.I STEVENS v TUBE MAKING MACHINE Filed Juiy 5. 192s sisheets-sh-eet 1 H. D. TEVENS TUBE MAKING MACHINE Dec. 28 192e.-

uw., 28 ,19z6; 1,612,545

H. D. STEVENS TUBE MAKING MACHINE Filed July 5, 1923 V5 sheets-sheet s lil Dc. 28, 1926. 1,612,545 H. D. STEVENS TUBE MAKING MACHINE Filed July 5. 1925 5 sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 2s 192e..

.1,612,545 H. D. STEVENS TUBE MAKING MACHINE race Sez/e765 'I Patented 2.8, 192.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

'HORACE D. STEVENS, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNORTO THE FIBESTONE TIRE AND -BiUB- BER GOMPANYLOF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

TUBE-MAKING MACHINE.

a'ppuation med my s, 192s. serial No. 649,474.

invention -relates to tube making machines and particularly to machines for 'making rubberized fabric tubes lfrom which fan belts or similar rubber articles may be cut. In particular the invention contemdrel,'the sheet being of sutlicie'nt width to make two or more convolutionsabout the mandrel. The steel mandrel is then carried to awrapping lathe in which it is mounted and -irmly/wrapped,' with a spiral cloth winding. From the wrapping lathe the tube and mandrel are placed in a heater o,`

any conventional type in which-vulcanization, is eected. After vulcanization the mandrel and tube are taken from the heater, -the wrapping removed, and the tubec stripped from the mandrel and cut into desired'width, -A feature of the invention consists in a novel organization in a single tube-making machine of meansvfor loosening the tube on the mandrel and means for applying the :fabric wrapper around the tube prior to vulcanization, and also removing it after vulcanization, the latter operation requiring, in the past, a separate lathe machi-ne. j

Thevarious other features of my invention will be best understood from a description of one embodiment thereof selected to illustrate the same, it being understood1 however, that my invention is not limited to 4o suchselected embodiment.

In the drawings accompanying this descri tion: v

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine showing the arrangement of parts for theloosening operation;. Y

Figure 2'is`- a similar view ltoFigure 1 illustratingthe arrangement for the wrap-l ping operation Frgure 3 1s; an end elevation; v Figure-4 vis a cross-section through line v4--4 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 isa sectional view showing in detail the stretching operation;

g Figure 6 is a detailed elevation of the end of one of the rolls with the .chuck shown in section;

4Figure 7 is a plan view of the driving mechanism; Figure 8 is an end elevation partly in section to show the ratchet and pinion mechanism foroperating the upper roll,

yRelerring to the drawings, the usual machine standards are indicated at 2, mounted upon which is a frame 4 suitably shaped and constructed to receive and support the various Working parts of the machine. Arising y above the framework at each side of the machine are vertical standards 6, the same being bifurcated at their upper ends, as best shown in Figure 3, to provide a mounting for idle pulleys 8.

Mounted in fixed bearings in the frame 4 .i

are av pair of rollers 10 and 11 designed to support and otate a mandrel 12 upon which is wrapped the cylindrical tube. 14 from which thefan belts are` to be cut. Above the rollers 10 and midway therebetween is a pressure roll'x16, the ends of which are reduced and received in bearings 18 upon the upper ends of slides 20, the latter being constructed for vertical movement within suitkupon itslower end a plurality of rollers 28 arranged for engagement with the peripheral surface of the pressure roll 16,' thus atfording a backing to take up the spring from the latter. The pressure of the rollers 28 upon the lroll 16' is adjusted by a screw 30 extending through the top of the bearing 24 to bear upon the top face of the roller carrying stud.

The lower ends of the slides 20 are provided with'racks 32, the teeth of which are engaged by pinions 34 -whi'chin turntmesh with pinions 36 keyed to a shaft 38, the ends of which extend beyond the frame of the machine and are provided withhand Wheels 40 by means of which the shaft is rotated.v

a ratchet wheel 43 carried by the shaft 38. A link 44 connects the tail of the pawls and provides a convenient means for swinging the pawls about their pivots to disengage them from the ratchet when it is necessary to elevate the roll 16 by rotation of the shaft 38 in a counterclockwise direction.

As a counterbalance for the pressure roll 16, weights 46 are provided, the latter being connected to the angle bar 22 by ropes 4h' extending around the idle pulleys 8 carried by the standards 6 previously referred to.

As previously intimated, this invention contemplates the provision in a fan belt making machine of means 'l'or applying the wrapping to the tube prior to the curing operation' and removing it therefrom after the curing operation, in addition means for loosening the tube from the mandrel to facilitate the stripping operation..

In the use of the illustrated machine t loosen the tube from' the mandrel, the pressure-roll andvsupporting rolls are in direct engagement with the tube in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure l.

. Such an arrangement of parts, however, would not permitlthe application or removal of the Wrapper, as will be readily understood by anyone skilled in the manufacture of ,articles of this particular type. The novel organization of parts, whereby the wrapping operation may be readily and speedily effected by theillustrated machine,

thereof. lVhen it is desired to wrap thev tube, the chucks lare moved inwardly to receive-a mandrel, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, the tube being spaced from the vrollers a distance sufficient to allow the fabric wrapper to be wound therearound. A curved drum 56'extendsaeross the front of the machine, over which the fabric is drawn in the winding operation, the desired tension being operative in retarding the strip by pressing it against the surface of the drum.

In order to hold the chucks 50 in' either the rolling or wrapping position, spring pressed locking elements 58 are mounted upon the chucks to cooperate with detents 6() provided in the Surface of the rolls. i

The means for rotating the rolls 10, 11 will now be described. -Mounted upon suitable bearings arising from the base of the machine are horizontal shafts 62 and 64, the shaft 62 being driven from any conobtained by the action'- of thev venient source of power, an electric motor 66 being hereln disclosed. A conventional positive clutch 70 connects the shaft 62 with the arrangement being such that when oneL clutch is engaged the other is broken. ()n the ends of shafts 62 and 6i arel sprockets S8 and Sl() which drive through chains 92 and Slt sprockets 96 and J8 on the shafts of the rolls 1t) and 11 respectively.

The manner in which the driving mechanism operates is obvious, and no further description lwill be given, it being noted that provision is afforded for driving the roll lt) at a high speed and the roll ll at a low speed, the roll l0 being driven during the wrapping and unwrapping operations and the roll 11 during the building and rolling operations.

While the operations of the different mechanisms have been set forth in the foregoing description, they may be briefly sumchine so as to rest on rolls 10 and 11. Rubberized fabric from a suitable supply reel (not shown) isdrawn over roll l1 under the mandrel over roll 10. roll ll being driven for this purpose, and its end is applied to the mandrel so that the fabric may be Wound on the mandrel. Rotation of roll 11 is continued until sufficient fabric is wrapped onto the mandrel, it being pressed thereon by the weight of the mandrel acting against rolls 10 and 11. Vhen the desired number of plies are. wr-apped on the mandrel, rotation of roll 1l is'discontin'ued and the stock is cut, a strip of gum being applied over the exposed end of the fabric.

The mandrel with a green tube thereon-is ready to be wrapped, the chucks 50 being accordingly placed in their inner position to engage the ends of the'mandrel. The upper roll is lowered by the hand wheel 40 until the mandrel is firmly gripped by thechucks. The clutch 82 is now'thrown in, causing the mandrel to be rotated ata high rate of speed. The free end of the wrapping strip is started around the tube by the operative, the strip being then drawn across the drum 52 by the rotation of the mandrel until the tubQLhas been completely wrapped, tension being applied to the wrappings by the operative. The wrapped tube 1s removed from the machine an cured. i i

After vulcanization, the mandrel with Jthe cured tube thereon is placed in the machine with the parts as above and the Wrappings are removed as Will be understood. The chucks are then; shoved into the outer position, and the surface of the rolls brought into direct contact with the tube. The upper roll is forced downward until the tube is gripped with a sufficient pressure. The

'.. shitting lever 86 is now throWn toward the right and the mandrel is slowly rotated through driven roll 11. This r-olling action causes the tube to be stretched circumferentially and loosens the tube on the mandrel as illustrated in Figure 5. rolled and loosened, the tube may be readily slipped from the mandrel. The {inished tube is subsequently cut into narrow belts such as used in fans of automobiles and for other desirable purposes.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States:

l. In a machine for Wrapping and loosening a tube' on a mandrel, the combination of a. plurality of rolls for supporting a mandrel, and mandrel gripping means on said supports, said gripping means being shiftable into and out of operative position.

2. In a machine for Wrapping and loosening a tube on a mandrel, the combination of means for supporting and rotating the mandrel, mandrel gripping means on said supporting means, said gripping means being shiftable into and out of gripping engagement With said mandrel, and means for retaining the gripping means adjusted position.

3. In a machine for Wrapping and loosening a tube on a mandrel, the combination fof means for supporting a mandrel, means for gripping the mandrel, said means being After being shiftable into and out of operative position, and means for stretching the tube circumerentially. Y

4. In a machine of the class described having, in combination, a plurality ot' rolls ltorsupport and rotate a mandrel having a tube Wrapped thereon, a pressure roll above the supporting rolls, and chucks mounted upon the said rolls, the said chucks being slidable longitudinally of the saidrolls into or out of mandrel engaging position.

5. In a machine4 for applying a fabric Wrapper to a tube wrapped on a mandrel, having in combination, a plurality of chucks for gripping the mandrel only at its ends, means on t-he chucks for guiding the mandrel, means to rotate the chucks, and a retarding device over Which the fabric Wrapper is pulled during the Wrapping operation.

6. In a machine for Wrapping and loosening a tube on a mandrel, the combination ot' a plurality of rollsv for supporting the mandrel, and means for rotating the mandrel at a comparatively high speed during the Wrapping operation and at a low speed during the loosening operation.

c 7. A tube-making machine comprising in combination a pair of rolls for supporting and rotating a mandrel for applying the material of the tube thereon, land means on Ysaid rolls adapted to be selectively employed to support and rotate said mandrel in a posit-ion spaced from said rolls.

8. A machine of the class described comprising a pair ot rolls for supporting and rotating a mandrel and a third roll movable into engagement with said mandrel on said iirst rolls, each of saidl rolls having means thereon adapted to engage and supporta `mandrel for rotation in spaced relation to the rolls.

HORACE D. STEVENS. 

